Vacuum attachment for clothes-pressing machines



May 8, 1923.

G. PEACOCK VACUUM ATTACHMENT FOR CLOTHES PRESSING MACHINES Filed April 11, 1921 2 Sheets-Shoot l Qwuzntoz Glenn Peacock.

G. PEACOCK VACUUM ATTACHMENT FOR CLOTHES PRESSING MACHINES Filed April 11. 1921 2 shuts-shut 2 55 F FT;|.L.

B3 A 36' I II I T m 1 15 37 1 I 30 3a T w 38 Mil.

38 HUI.

Glenn Peacflck Patented May 8, 1923.

GLENN PEACOGK, 0F BARTLESVILLE, OKLAHOMA.

VACUUM ATTACHMENT FOR GLOTHES-PBESSHG MACmES.

Application filed April 11, 1921. Serial Ilo. 480,277.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GLENN PnAoooK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bartlesville, in the county of Washington and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum Attachments for Clothes-Pressing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pressing machines, and the primary object of the invention is to provide an improved means for removing the damp steam from the garments after the pressing and steaming operation, so as to dry and set the garments, so that the same willhold their shape.

It is therefore another object of the invention to provide an improved suction attachment for the pressing machineembodying an electric motor operated fan for creating a suction in the buck for effectively removing the damp steam from the garment and for drying the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide means connected with the fan for permitting the cleaning of the clothes by suction prior to the pressin operation, so as to permit the removing 0% loose lint and dust from the clothes, and thereby preventing the matting thereof in the weave of the garment by the introducing of damp steam therein.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel means for controlling the suction in the buck and the suction in the cleaning head, said means being controlled by a foot operated pedal.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a suction attachment for clothes pressing machines, which is of exceptionally simple and durable construction, which can be added to machines already on the market or which can be associated therewith at the time of their manufacture. I

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction arrangement and formation of parts as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentar front elevation of a pressing machine showing the improved suction attachment connected therewith, the front or pressing body. of the machine being shown in longitudinal section.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary end elevation of a pressing. machine showing the im roved suction attachment connected therewith;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary do,- tail end elevation of a portion of the suction attachment and Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view looking at right angles from Figure 3- showing a portion of the attachment in vertical section. v

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate' corresponding parts throughput the -several views, the letter A indicates the improved suction attachmentfor the pressing machine B.

The pressing machine B is of the usual or any preferred construction and as shown consists of the supporting base 5, the work table 6, and the pressing buck 7. The pressing buck 7 is mounted in the usual manner on the table 6 and base 5 and this buck is also of the usual or any preferred construction and as shown includes the, erforated press plate 8, the press cloth or pad 9. Below the perforated press plate 8, a horizontally disposed partition 10 is positioned and this partition 10 in connection .with the perforated prem plate 8 forms the internal suction chamber 11. This is the chamber in which the steam is usually permitted to pass through to form the suction.

The improved attachment A consistsessentially of an operating device or priinev m'over D, a suction operating mechanism E, and a. suction pipe system F. 1

The prime mover l) as shown, consists of an electric motor 15, which is secured to a suitable supporting base 16, which can be secured in any preferred manner to the base or frame work 5. While I have shown an electric motor, it is to be understood that any other suitable prime mover may be used. The lower surface of the table 6 may be provided with a suitable electric switch 17 for controlling the flow of current through the feed wires 18 for the electric motor.

The suction creating means E comprises a fan casing 19, which can be bolted, by means of strap iron strips 20 to the frame of the motor 15, and this fan casing has rotatably mounted therein the fan wheel 21 which can be keyed or otherwise secured to the armature shaft 22 of the motor 15. The fan 21 is of the type employed in vacuum cleaners and includes the fan Wheel having the hub 23 and the radially extending blades 24 which are. cut inwardly at their hub portions, as at 25. The outer wall 26 of the fan casing is provided with a central inlet opening 27 which has communicating therewith a valve casing 28. The fan casing 19 may be provided with an air outlet 29 and a steam or'condensation outlet 30.

The valve casing 28 forms a part of the suction pipe system F, and this valve casin'g forms a part of the three way valve construction, and as shown includes the vertically disposed body 31, which receives the rotatable plug 32. This plug 32 has the opposite sides thereof concave as at 33, and is of a sufiicient size to close the inlet opening 34 of the valve casing 31 when so desired. Theopposite ends of the valve body 31 has secured thereto the upwardly extending suction pipe 37 and the downwardly extending suction pipe 38. The upwarly extending suction pipe 37 has connection with a longitudinally extending suction pipe 40 by means of a T-joint 41 and the terminals ofthe longitudinally extending pipe 40 are connected with the suction chamber 11 of the buck 7, by means of branch pipes 42 and 43. The lower end of the pipe 38 has connected thereto a flexible hose 44, which is provided with any preferred type of suction cleaner nozzle 45, and it is to be understood that the clothes are adapted to be cleaned by the nozzle 45 prior tothe pressing thereof so as to prevent the dust and lint being matted in the fabric. The three way valve plug 32 is adapted to be closed so as to entirely close the port 34 or so as to connect the port 34 with the pipe 37 and to shut off the pipe 38 or to connect the pipe 38 to the port 34 and to shut off the pipe 37 as clearly shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. If so desired, the condensation nipple 30 may have connected thereto a flexible hose 47 which may be led into the usual iron bucket 48 provided with the ordinary pressing machine, This construction entirely eliminates the necessity of leading the steam exhaust pipe to a point out of the building, which tends to Weaken the steam vacuum in the usual pressing machine.

A foot pedal attachment G is provided menace for operating the valve plug 32 and this mechanism consists of a lever 50 pivotally mounted intermediate its ends upon a suitable pivot pin 51 which is carried by the frame 5. The outer end of the lever 50 has secured thereto a suitable foot pedal 52, while the inner end thereof has pivotally connected thereto a connecting rod 53 which is in turn pivotally connected to a crank 54, which is connected to the valve plug. It can be seen that it is merely necessary to press down upon the pedal 52 when it is desired to operate the valve. normally held in the position shown in full lines in Figure 4 by means of a weight 55 which is slidably mounted upon the lever 50 inwardly of the pivot point 51.

The pressing machine is used in the ordinary manner and after the clothes have been pressed, the lever 50 is operated, so as to permit the suction through the pipe 37 WlllC-ll will create a suctionin the suction chamber 11, thus effectively sucking all of the damp steam from the clothes and effectively drying the same so that they will hold their shape.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that an improved device has been provided for pressing machines, which will permit the cleaning of the garments prior to the pressing thereof, and which will effectively remove all of the damp steam from the garment without the use of the steam vacuum, thereby resulting in saving of time, labor and money.

Changes in details may be made without departing -from the spirit or scope of this invention; but,

I claim:

1. The combination with a pressing machine including a buck having a perforated press plate, a suction chamber arranged below the press plate, of a suction creating means including a fan casing, a suction fan wheel arranged in the casing, an electric motor for operating the fan wheel, a suction chamber communicating with the inlet of said fan casing, a three way valve forming a part of said suction chamber, oppos tely disposed pipes communicating with the valve casing, a rotatable three way valve plug arranged in the casing, means connecting one of the pipes with the suction chamber of the buck, a crank arm connected to the valve plug, a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends, a foot pedal formed upon the lever, a rod connected with the lever and the crank arm, a condensation pipe carried by the fan casing, and a recepta-cle carried by the pressing machine for receiving said pipe.

2. The combination with a steam pressing machine including a buck having a suction chamber and a perforated press plate, of a suction creating means including a fan The valve is chamber, having an outlet in its lower well, connected with the longitudinall extended and an exhaust outlet in one side wall edpipe and the suction chamber, a. exible pipe jacent the bottom wall, a suction fan in said leading from the suction chamber, and a casing, an electric motor for operating said three way valve for controlling the suction 5 fan, a suction casing communicating with in the pipe connected with the longitudithe fan casing, a longitudinally extending nally extending pipe and the flexible pipe. pipe communicating with the opposite ends I of the suction chamber in the buck, a pipe GLENN PEACQCK. 

